Laser Intensity Adjustment for Lithography Edge Sharpness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pattern generators often result in unsatisfactory edge sharpness and edge roughness in printed patterns due to the relative laser intensity settings of pixels at or near the pattern's edge.
Innovation Solution
A method that proportionally decreases the relative laser intensity of each pixel from a first to a second intensity, then adjusts the laser dose translation to maintain an effective exposed laser dose, while increasing the relative laser intensity of edge or neighboring pixels by a constant additive term to enhance edge sharpness and edge roughness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the relative laser intensity of pixels is set proportionally to the area covered by the pattern (with 100% for fully covered pixels), then the exposure dosage is accurate, but the edge sharpness and edge roughness of the printed pattern become unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of pixels based on their location. Edge pixels (those at the boundary of the pattern area) receive a constant additive term increase to their relative laser intensity, while non-edge pixels maintain their originally calculated intensities. This localized modification improves edge sharpness without affecting the overall exposure accuracy of the pattern interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the relative laser intensity parameter for edge pixels by adding a constant term. This parameter change ensures that edge pixels receive sufficient laser energy to achieve proper exposure, thereby improving edge sharpness and reducing edge roughness while maintaining the proportional area-based intensity setting for other pixels.
2Shape
If the relative laser intensity of edge pixels is increased to improve edge sharpness, then the edge quality improves, but the overall laser dose distribution becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a feedback mechanism where the relative laser intensity values are first calculated based on pixel area coverage, then edge pixels are identified and their intensities are adjusted by adding a constant term. This feedback loop ensures that the initial area-based calculation is refined to account for edge effects, maintaining overall dose distribution balance while improving edge quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A method setting respective relative laser intensities to a plurality of pixels representing a lithographic exposure includes: decreasing a relative laser intensity of each pixel from a respective first relative laser intensity to a respective second relative laser intensity, adjusting a laser dose translation of relative laser intensity of pixels from a first laser dose translation of the first relative laser intensity to a second laser dose translation of the second relative laser intensity, such that a respective effective exposed laser dose of each pixel achieved by the second laser dose translation is equal to a respective effective exposed laser dose of each pixel that would have resulted from the first laser dose translation, and increasing, by a constant additive term, the respective relative laser intensity of an edge pixel or of a neighbouring pixel from the respective second relative laser intensity to a respective third relative laser intensity.